Survey on Relations Between Blacks and Latinos in NOLA
by Rafael Delgadillo
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
A survey on the racial attitudes of African-Americans and Latinos in New Orleans was released Tuesday at an event hosted at Xavier University which was followed by a panel discussion on the future of the relations between the two demogrpahic groups in the Crescent City.
“Building Common Ground” was commissioned by Oxfam America and conducted by the New Orleans based firm Dr. Silas Lee & Associates. The survey focused on the relationship between African-Americans and Latinos, the two groups that have seen the most significant change in post-Katrina demographics and asked questions to participants from both groups on their perceptions of each other and the challenges that will be faced in the future.
The survey examined the perceptions that the groups have of each other and the experiences that each group has had in different areas such as housing, health care, criminal justice, and social interaction. Though the study found disparaging views from both groups, it also found that 83% of Latinos and 86% of African-Americans surveyed considered establishing alliances as important to achieving social and economic equity.
The release of the study was followed by a panel discussion that included various community leaders from the Latino and African American communities. Members of the panel included Ilana Scherl from Oxfam America, Barabara Major from Citizens United for Economic Equity, Saru Jayaraman and Restaurant Opportunity Center United, Lucas Diaz from Puentes New Orleans, Inc. Keron Blair from Interfaith Worker Justice, and Daniel Castellano from New Orleans Worker Center for Racial Justice.
Tags: African-American and Latino relations, black brown relations, Latinos in the South